Two weeks in: How many are losing resolve?

Published: Monday, January 14, 2013 at 01:14 PM.

Humans are a curious sort: Short-sighted and incongruous leaders of the animal kingdom. Sometimes what we do or attempt to do doesn’t make any sense — even to ourselves.

We often settle for benchmarks rather than goals and our end results usually pale in comparison to our initial enthusiasm.

So, here we are again, two weeks into a new year and still determined to follow through with a plan, a newly energized resolve this year, knowing full well what happened last year and the year before. Why are we expecting better results this year?

We have an inherent desire to feel good about who we are and how we feel.

For many, an aesthetic change seems to create such euphoria.

The fitness centers know you’re coming. You’ll find encouragement among friends and families. And our always dependable pseudo advocates will emerge in the form of mass-media advertising, which kicks into high gear by showcasing the seemingly easiest and most efficient paraphernalia to take away your troubles.

We’re certain to see the most miraculous diet liquid ever concocted — one that will melt those pounds away with just a few swigs and tastes like a chocolate sundae; or a new-fangled Bo-Flex that will provide you with an Olympian body in just minutes. Plus, it makes coffee and folds into a bed to provide you with a wonderful night of sleep. (We’ve come a long way from the old vibrating belt.)

Humans are a curious sort: Short-sighted and incongruous leaders of the animal kingdom. Sometimes what we do or attempt to do doesn’t make any sense — even to ourselves.

We often settle for benchmarks rather than goals and our end results usually pale in comparison to our initial enthusiasm.

So, here we are again, two weeks into a new year and still determined to follow through with a plan, a newly energized resolve this year, knowing full well what happened last year and the year before. Why are we expecting better results this year?

We have an inherent desire to feel good about who we are and how we feel.

For many, an aesthetic change seems to create such euphoria.

The fitness centers know you’re coming. You’ll find encouragement among friends and families. And our always dependable pseudo advocates will emerge in the form of mass-media advertising, which kicks into high gear by showcasing the seemingly easiest and most efficient paraphernalia to take away your troubles.

We’re certain to see the most miraculous diet liquid ever concocted — one that will melt those pounds away with just a few swigs and tastes like a chocolate sundae; or a new-fangled Bo-Flex that will provide you with an Olympian body in just minutes. Plus, it makes coffee and folds into a bed to provide you with a wonderful night of sleep. (We’ve come a long way from the old vibrating belt.)

We’re a curious sort because we think January is an appropriate time to begin to become who we want to be — not mid-spring or the end of summer or even at the end of a long period of soul-searching. Perhaps it has something to do with procrastination, putting off what we know we should have started some time ago. A new year just seems to be a time to start.

It seems, too, that when we discover the challenges encountered as we pursue our course of action and it becomes more difficult than we thought, we rethink, forget or abandon our resolve altogether. Often those miles we want to run or those sit-ups we want to do look easier when we see others doing them.

We’re a curious sort because we know what we don’t like about ourselves and yet are only willing to change if it’s not too much trouble.

We’re a curious sort because we don’t realize change of this kind comes from within — a permanent change of self. That is, we give up the old self for a new one — one we would like better — but that requires a change of lifestyle.

In any event, here’s hoping this provides you with the encouragement you need to keep your resolutions.